I received my aero tow rating from Traci this past summer and can say that his methods are in line with what John is saying. Traci had me keep the wings on the horizon for the initial climb out before going to wheels on the horizon and then finally a little lower than wheels on the horizon once we were several hundred feet up.

Of all the things said here this is the one I like best and try to do every time I tow. Total focus and concentration to stay directly behind the tug with the path of the tug, the tow line and myself all in the same plane both horizontally and vertically (as Craig mentioned). Obviously, the day will dictate and the more challenging the air the less likely tug and towed pilot will remain in harmony. Watch the tug to see what he is encountering and respond accordingly (eg. -WITHIN REASON AND SAFETY- climb when the tug climbs and decend when the tug decends. Try to stay directly behind or slightly inside when the tug is turning fast in a thermal and drift slightly outside if the tug turn is shallow and slow. Proper and timely pitch control will minimize the "trading of energy" and make for a quicker and smoother tow. Safety is always the primary concern so don't put yourself or the tug into an unsafe situation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Farina

another thing i like to do is:
keep eyes on tug ALL the time, anticipate it's movement, then mimick it's flight path in real time, not waiting.
of course, nobody screws around with their harness, or instruments on tow, right?